Coleman nodded and pointed to the camera-rifle. ‘With this evidence, every American-hostile nation in the world will be clamoring for these weapons.’
‘Your military is going to be very interested in these,’ said Vanessa flatly, but not with the usual accusatory tone she used when discussing the U.S. Military.
‘If they ever get to see it,’ said Coleman, then immediately realized that he had said something he shouldn’t have.
#
Onboard the USS Coronado, Vice Admiral Tucker listened gravely to the Secretary of Defense.
‘Yes, Mr. Secretary,’ answered Tucker. ‘I understand, sir. I’ll give the order.’
Tucker was speaking into a digital camera with a built in microphone. The image of the Secretary of Defense filled one half of the Knowledge Wall for a moment longer and then snapped off.
The Secretary of Defense had briefed the President. Apparently the President’s first reaction had been very similar to Tucker’s.
Three hundred civilians.
Tucker twisted open the silver canister Boundary had taken from the safe. He withdrew a slim sheet of crisp white paper. Without even looking at its contents, he handed the sheet to Daniels. The Chief Warrant Officer had been briefed in the last twenty minutes. Specifically, he had been told about the nature of the work that had occurred at the Biological Solutions Research Complex before it was handed over to the scientists.
He well understood the gravity of what Tucker said next.
‘Enter the arming codes and start the countdown.’
‘Yes, sir.’ The Chief Warrant Officer took the paper without raising his eyes. He left the chamber to personally carry out the President’s instructions.
Three minutes later, a coded signal left the communications array of the Coronado. The signal was received by a camouflaged micro-antennae concealed in a dry grassy tussock six miles south of the Biological Solutions Research Complex.
The antennae led underground to a signal-booster buried twenty feet under the desert surface.
All the radio signal jamming technology in the world couldn’t stop technology as basic as the telegraph.
The booster sent the signal through six miles of underground direct line and three small underground repeater stations. Each repeater station checked the code’s authenticity against its own unique set of parameters and then forwarded the signal on.
A fraction of a second after reaching the surface antennae, the signal had been checked four times and arrived at its destination in a cement bunker under the research Complex.
The small bunker was insulated from the aquifer and had only one occupant. The occupant had been asleep since it was sealed in the bunker. But it had just been told to wake up.
With a single blinking red eye, the weapon came online.
#
‘What exactly does that mean?’ asked Vanessa suspiciously. She pointed at the super bullet. ‘Now that our message got out, shouldn’t reinforcements be deploying to help us?’
Coleman took a deep breath. She deserves to know the truth. She’s part of our team now.
‘I have some bad news,’ admitted Coleman. ‘This isn’t a sit tight and wait-for-the-cavalry type of situation.’
Forest and King both knew what Coleman meant.
‘We’re on our own here?’ asked Vanessa incredulously. ‘What about David and the others!”
‘From a military point of view, we’ve been quarantined since we arrived,’ started Coleman. ‘That was all explained to us during our mission brief. But now the Coronado has confirmation that there are biological weapons onsite and that terrorists are in the process of stealing them. Sending more Marines isn’t the answer to countering an unknown biological agent. They don’t have many options really.’
‘So what will they do?’
Coleman thought for a moment. ‘I’m afraid you’re not going to like this, because it probably confirms a lot of the suspicions you’ve had in the past. And I’m probably not the best person in the world to tell you this, because of our history.’
Vanessa watched Coleman steadily. ‘Just say it. I might not trust the military, but I trust you. Say what you have to say.’
Coleman nodded, appreciating her effort. ‘We never discussed this, but have you ever heard the rumor that there are nuclear weapons pointed at every major research installation on Earth?’
Vanessa raised an eyebrow. ‘We never discussed it because I thought it was too stupid even for military minds for condone.’
‘Well, it’s not true. Missiles can be intercepted before they reach their target. Missiles aren’t the most reliable method of delivering a warhead.’
‘Then what is?’ she asked.
‘Hiding the weapon at the target long before you need to use it, then activating it remotely when the time comes. The warhead is already here.’
Vanessa rolled her eyes. ‘You think there’s a nuclear weapon already hidden in the Complex? No way. I helped design this place. I know every inch.’
‘You don’t know how the security system works.’
‘That’s different,’ she countered defensively. ‘I don’t understand the security technology, but I’m pretty sure I would notice a nuclear weapon stashed somewhere.’
Coleman decided to try a different angle. It was important that she understood. Unfortunately, he knew exactly how to convince her. ‘Vanessa, who was in control of the site before you took possession?’
‘The mining company. I’ve already told you that. They hit the aquifer and the site became unprofitable.’
‘That’s not completely true,’ corrected Coleman. ‘They did hit an aquifer, but the site wasn’t passed straight over from the mining company. It was temporarily in the possession of the U.S. Military, right?’
‘Well, yes, of course,’ she stuttered. ‘The site had to be inspected before it could be handed over on an international research charter. But that was just a formality.’
Coleman could see her logical mind starting to join the dots. ‘Why do you think the Complex was approved for construction in the middle of nowhere? In a desert, no less. You can’t believe that this place wasn’t constructed without a failsafe countermeasure.’
‘It was the perfect site because of the mine and the aquifer,’ she offered. ‘The lack of species in the surrounding desert restricts genetic pollution and….’
Her arguments teetered out. ‘It’s true, isn’t it? The weapon’s in the aquifer, right? That’s the only place they could have placed it before our construction started.’
Coleman nodded. ‘I believe so. They must have a direct line to the weapon to activate it through the C-Guards. It will be designed towards irradiating all life. It’s probably an enhanced radiation weapon.’
‘You’re talking about a neutron weapon,’ she reasoned.
Coleman nodded. ‘You understand what they do?’
Vanessa examined her hands, her voice registering shock. ‘I know what they do. Its shell would be made from chromium or nickel so the neutrons generated by the fusion reaction can escape. Neutrons are a penetrating type of radiation. Shielding won’t stop them. And their neutron energy is quickly attenuated by the atmosphere, so the destruction would be focused on this Complex. They’re most effective in low-humidity environments, like this desert. They kill all life with a minimum of explosive destruction. How could it have all come to this?’
‘Vice Admiral Tucker won’t have a choice,’ said Coleman. ‘Even if we could somehow eliminate Cairns’s force, that would still leave the creatures. The creatures are the real problem. They have to be stopped by any means necessary. If we could somehow stop the creatures, Tucker wouldn’t need to detonate the ER warhead.’
Coleman put his hand on her shoulder. ‘I only know one person in the world who could possibly stop the creatures in the time we have.’
Vanessa didn’t look up. The answer was obvious. ‘Me.’
#
Cairns stood in the bottom of the west stairwel
l in waist-deep water.
He had five gunmen.
In the east stairwell, Bora had four more gunmen.
This represented the last of their original force. Cairns keyed his radio. ‘Bora, are you in position?’
Bora’s reply was dead-pan. ‘We’re ready.’
Eleven men, thought Cairns. How could I have lost all but eleven men?
He wasn’t counting Gould.
Gould was standing halfway up the stairs, shaking his head at the water.
‘It’s madness,’ Gould repeated, his voice breaking like a pubescent teenager. ‘We can’t go in there. They’re going to be on us before we even open that door!’
‘Don’t make me drag you,’ warned Cairns, checking his weapon. ‘Step into the water, Dr Gould.’
Two gunmen trained their weapons on Gould. It proved all the motivation he needed. He grimaced as he waded down into the cold water.
‘You feel that?’ Cairns asked over his shoulder.
‘I do,’ answered Gould, placing his hands in the water, fingers splayed apart to feel the vibrations. ‘What is that?’
‘That’s what’s keeping us alive. I never trusted you could control the creatures. I designed a backup plan.’
Gould’s eyes flickered in the direction of the freight lift. ‘The machines in the containers?’
‘The same.’
‘The creatures will be tearing them apart. Nothing can last long against that kind of assault.’
‘Correct.’ Cairns held up his arm. He rolled up one fatigue sleeve. Strapped to his forearm was the slim black box with a snub-nosed antenna. ‘Two green lights means were still alright.’
‘What happens when the creatures finish with the containers?’
Cairns turned in the water and locked an uncompromising stare on Gould. ‘We’ll have the templates by then. If you’ve done everything exactly as I’ve told you, then the timing should be perfect.’
‘I did what you asked,’ confirmed Gould warily, checking his watch. ‘The countdown is set to start in eighteen seconds.’
Cairns smiled. ‘Everyone will see it?’
‘Everyone. They couldn’t miss it. It’s a nasty little head-game you’ve started for them. Once they see the countdown, they might want to negotiate. We may not have to go in there at all.’ Gould pointed towards the basement.
Cairns’s laugh was a nasal snort. ‘Oh, they’ll be preparing to negotiate alright. I’d say we’ll be joining the first round of violent negotiations in minutes. As long as it takes us to reach their position.’
Cairns pushed open the fire stairs door. He scanned the flooded corridor beyond. I wish I had more men. Even five more men would make a big difference. The Marines could be waiting in ambush. Cairns wouldn’t rule out anything. The debris-littered corridor headed east, straight towards the only dry section of the basement. The Marines would be stupid not to have withdrawn to the dry and defendable position. And these Marines were anything but stupid. On Cairns’s forearm, one of the green lights flickered for a moment and then died.
‘I just felt the vibration drop,’ warned Gould. ‘They’ve already broken into one of the containers. One container isn’t going to distract them all. Some of them are going to be drawn towards us.’
Cairns activated his radio as he started surging down the corridor. ‘Bora, go, go, go. Full assault right now!’
#
‘It’s a countdown!’ blurted Dana, making sense of the new information being broadcast from the administration hub’s intranet.
‘Countdown to what?’ asked Harrison, raising his eyebrow from across the room. He had two hands planted on the antechamber table where he’d been scanning the schematic maps.
‘It’s staggered to activate different systems at time intervals. The first routine will start in less than forty seconds. It all looks local. Okay, I’m bringing up the details now –’
Dana jerked up ramrod straight in her seat. ‘They can’t be doing this. They’re going to kill us all.’
‘Speak to me,’ prompted Harrison.
‘It’s the countdown,’ said Dana, shaking off her original shock. Harrison could still detect fear in her voice. ‘It’s going to activate all the systems that cause vibrations in this Center, and then when they’re all running, it’s going to automatically open the containment door. This countdown is activating all the systems in a sequence that will lead the creatures right in here to us.’
‘Can’t we shut down the system like we did before?’ asked Harrison urgently.
‘Not while we’re classed a quarantine risk. We have no control at all.’
‘Read out the schedule of systems in order.’
Dana read out the systems: ‘Auxiliary pumps, secondary turbines, extraction fans, primary electricity generator, containment door.’
‘We can’t even reach those systems to physically sabotage them,’ said Harrison, shaking his head over the schematic map.
He wiped a bead of sweat from his cheek. With the air-conditioning switched off, the center was hot and muggy. He stared down the evacuation tunnel.
Why are they doing this?
Whoever had set that countdown obviously wanted everyone in the Quarantine Center killed. That meant Third Unit hadn’t gained control of the main Complex. Harrison felt his hope slip a little further out of reach. It was a strategic scenario with no solution. It seemed no matter what they did, they would inevitably sustain a full frontal assault by the creatures.
He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He wished he was a smarter man. ‘When the creatures come through that containment door, we have nowhere to run. We have to make sure that door doesn’t open. Any suggestions?’
‘Only one,’ said Dana. ‘We could physically sabotage the door. We could try to jam it shut from the inside.’
‘That’s what I was thinking,’ agreed Harrison. ‘It’ll be tough though, it’s a big door.’
Already walking, Harrison picked up his radio and started to call for Sullivan and the engineering teams to meet him at the containment door.
Before he reached the plexiglass, Dana lightly caught his arm.
‘What about everyone else?’ she asked, glancing back into the main chamber where the evacuees waited. ‘I need to tell them what’s happening. They keep asking what they can do to help.’
Harrison’s gaze went to the containment door. When he looked at Dana again, her hand still resting on his upper arm, he felt guilty about what he needed to say. Her hand felt warm and reassuring. He realized how very comforting her presence had become. He wanted to tell her, but there was a time and a place. Now and here was neither.
‘Tell them to start making weapons.’
#
‘This can’t be right,’ said Vanessa, sliding to another part of the workstation in the diving control room. ‘All these terminals are showing that the Evacuation Center has been quarantined.’
‘Is that a problem?’ asked Coleman.
‘It could be,’ she answered. ‘It looks like there has been some kind of staggered countdown initiated from the admin hub that…oh, my god!’
‘What is it?’ said Coleman, pulling his gaze from the surveillance cameras.
Hand over her mouth, she was reading the computer screen quickly. ‘When the Evacuation Center is reclassified as a quarantine facility, all control of its systems is reverted to the administration hub. Someone in the hub has started a staggered countdown that will bring all the quarantine systems back online and then open the containment door.’
‘That will draw the creatures straight into the Evac Center with David and the others,’ realized Coleman. ‘How long do we have?’
‘It’s already happening,’ answered Vanessa. ‘The emergency generator just came online under the Center.’
‘How long before the containment door opens?’
Vanessa frantically worked through the system, shaking her head in frustration. ‘It doesn’t say! It only tells you how long until the
next system comes online, and then the countdown resets for the next system after that. It could be five minutes before the countdown finishes activating all the system and opens the containment door, or it could be half an hour.’
Coleman needed them both to calm down and think rationally for David’s sake. ‘It’s definitely somewhere in between those times. Could Harrison shut down the systems?’
Vanessa scanned the list of services that were programmed to initiate. ‘The Center is designed so that essential services can be maintained by staff safely outside the Quarantine Center. Harrison couldn’t even reach them to physically try to shut them off. Why would Cairns and Gould want to kill all the evacuees? They don’t have the templates. They’re not a threat to the terrorists. David has never done anything to them. He’s just a little boy! Our little boy, Alex!’
Coleman put his hand on her shoulder. ‘I know. They’re not doing it because they see the evacuees as a threat. Once they retrieve the templates from us, all the creatures will be drawn into the Evacuation Center, and Cairns will have a safe path back up through the facility.’
Vanessa was close to tears. ‘We have to stop him. What are we going to do?’
‘This changes everything,’ agreed Coleman. ‘What more have you learned about the creatures? Anything that can help us? Come on, Vanessa, think!’
‘I’ve been trying!’ Fighting back tears, she turned to the genetic data on the first computer screen. ‘Gould kept the creatures dormant in the walls until he triggered them with a pheromone. If I can identify the traits that allowed him to keep the creatures dormant, I might be able to -’
Forest’s eyes hadn’t left the surveillance cameras during the conversation. He suddenly cut over Vanessa’s conversation. ‘The creatures have breached the first container. Some of them are starting to move this way. And here comes Cairns and Bora. They’re bringing forces from the west and the east. They’re moving quickly. They’re storming us. We’re going to be right in the middle. They’ll all be here in less than thirty seconds.’
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